Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Michele Maas

In November 2020, my husband, Jonathan, came down with Covid. He spent 80 days in Aultman hospital, 47 of those days on a ventilator, with a less than 3% chance to live. His journey to health was terrifying but while he was in the hospital, the nurses and doctors who took care of him became my support and my lifeline. As a licensed professional clinical counselor, I continued to see my clients through Telehealth the entire time my husband was sick. I had many nurses, EMTs, and firefighters who were my clients at that time and I got to see the trauma and fear that they went through on every shift. Read More>>

Dr. Tiffany R Harris

As someone who has overcome significant personal and professional obstacles, my journey toward starting Shift Your Mindset & Dream BIG LLC was deeply rooted in purpose, faith, and a desire to help others unlock their potential. I realized early on that many people—especially women, minorities, and those in underserved communities—struggle not because they lack talent or vision, but because they’ve been conditioned to think small, settle, or survive rather than thrive. Read More>>

Malini Swank

If I’m being honest, I never set out to “start my own business.” I had been told my entire adult life, that all the things I loved to do like traveling and going on dates with my husband would stop as soon as we decided to start a family. I had been told that kids aren’t adventurous eaters, that they are zero fun to travel with, and life as I knew it would end. Read More>>